Grease pump lock



Aug. 21, 1934;

GREASE PUMP LOCK Original Filed June 24, 1951 INVENTOR .1. WELCH 1,970,637.

Patented Aug. 21, 1934 midst? GREASE PUMP LOCK James W. Welch, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Screw Machine Specialty Company, a corporation of Delaware Applicationdune 24, 1931, Serial No. 546,489 Renewed February 13, 1934 8 Claims.

This invention relates to grease-dispensing apparatus, and is directed to means for preventing such apparatus from being operated when it has been emptied of grease.

More specifically the apparatus to which my invention is applied comprises 'a cylinder which is projected into a grease-containing bucket or drum; within the cylinder 2. plunger is adapted to be reciprocated, and, as the plunger is reciprocated, grease is drawn from the container and discharged by way of a suitable nozzle or tube. The means for reciprocating the plunger include a toothed plunger rod or rack, which rack is in mesh with a revoluble pinion; the pinion is connected to a crank and is thereby adapted to be rotated manually by'an attendant.

a plane at right angles to the view of Fig. I.

V The particular grease container, with which my invention is associated, is not immediately related to the structure wherein my invention is found, and, accordingly, in the drawing I have indicated a grease container in outline, i. e. by the In the grease container 1, there is located, and secured as shown, a cylinder comprising an upper portion 2 and a lower portion 3. Within the cylinder at plunger 4 is slidable; adjacent the bottom of the cylinder portion 3 is a foot valve 5, and such foot valve co-operates with a similar valve 6, which controls a passage (not shown) through the plunger, whereby, as the plunger is reciprocated within the cylinder, grease is drawn into the cylinder from container 1, forced upwardly through the cylinder, and discharged through any suitable means from the ap- A toothed plunger rod or rack 7 is secured, as indicated in the drawing, to the plunger 4. A pinion 8 meshes with the teeth of rod 7; conveniently, the pinion is secured to a shaft 9; shaft 9 in this case is trunnioned in the body portion 10 of the apparatus, and is equipped with a crank 11, whereby, an attendant, manifestly, can eifect the reciprocation of plunger 4 and the discharge dotted lines 1.

paratus.

of greasefrom the apparatus.

The means for locking the apparatus against operation when container 1 has been emptied, include a locking member 12, slidable transversely of the cylinder 2, 3. The inner end of locking member 12 is shaped in general as the teeth of the rack are shaped, to the end that, upon moving such locking member inwardly of the cylinder, it will lodge between two teeth of the rack, and, according, positively prevent movement of the rod 7, pinion 8, and crank 11. It may be mentioned that indicating mechanism is associated with the shaft 9, or with other parts of the apparatus, to indicate the quantity of grease dispensed thereby. Such indicating mechanism forms no part of my present invention; I contemplate the use of any one of several well-known indicators, and the manner in which the indicator is connected to the apparatus is not a matter requiring present consideration.

On the side wall of cylinder portion 3 there is plate there is pivotally secured, by means of pin 14, an arm 15. A rod 16 is secured to the arm 15, and in effect constitutes an extension of such At its distal end the rod 16 carries to a float 17. The float 17 may be a hollow copper sphere, or it may comprise any other of the ordinary float structures.

The float 1'7, as is evident, rides the body of grease within container 1, and according as the level of the grease within the container rises or falls, the float will rise or fall, swinging arouately, as it so rises or falls, about the pin 14 as a center. When the float sinks, as indeed it does when substantially all grease is dis-charged from the apparatus, to a position adjacent the bottom of container 1, the arm l5androd 16 will lie approximately in the position in which they are indicated in Fig. II, and with the float and memlocking member 12 to be shifted into locking engagement with the rod 7, when the float sinks to such position. 7 I

The means for effecting the above-mentioned 18 and a tripping plate l9. The tripping plate 19 is pivotally secured, at 20, to a bracket 21, which bracket is rigidly secured to the upper cylinder portion 2. A stem 22 is secured to, or

bers 15, 16, I associate means for causing the actuation of the locking member 12 include a rod i.

secured, say by welding, a plate '13, and to this forms an integral part of, the locking member 12; stem 22 extends through the; wall of cylinf ,movement,

prising a shaft, round in cross section, and bi furcated vertically to receive in the bifurcation the plate member 19. The plate member 19 is provided with an arcuate slot 25, and extending through this slot 25 and secured to the member 24 is a pin 25. The tripping plate 19 is, as mentioned, adapted to swing on its pivotal mounting 20, and, when the tripping plate 19 is swung counter-clockwise about such pivotal mounting, the pin 26 engages the right-hand end of slot '25. Thereupon, the counter-clockwise rotation of tripping plate 19 being continued, the moving pin 26 cheats a shifting of the locln'ng member 12 to the left and into engagement with plunger rod 7 as indicated in Fig. I.

A spring 27 is adapted to maintain the locking member 12 resiliently in looking engagement with the toothed plunging rod 7; that is, once the locking member has been shifted into locking position, the spring 27 is instrumental in resiliently maintaining it so. The spring 27, by means of a stud 29, is secured at its upper end to the tripping plate 19 while at its lower end the spring is secured to a stud 28, rigidly borne by bracket 21.

Reverse, rotation, that is, clockwise rotation of the tripping plate 19 moves the plate to such position that the pin 26 is brought into engagement with the left-hand terminus of slot 25, and (rotation of the tripping plate continuing) effects a left-to-right shifting (Fig. l) of the locking member 12. During the initial clockwise movement of the tripping plate 19 (that is, the movement from the position in which it is indicated in Fig. I) the spring 27 opposes the swinging of the tripping plate. That is to say, until the tripping plate 19 has, during its clockwise reached that position where the spring 2'7 will extend in alignment with the line A-a line extending between the axis 20 (about which axis the plate 19 moves) and the pin 28, to which pin the lower end of the spring is secured to bracket 2lthe spring, being a tension spring, tends constantly to rotate the tripping plate 19 counter-clockwise and to maintainthe looking member 12 in engagement with plunger rod 7. However, when the spring 27, during such clockwise rotation of the tripping plate 19, comes into alignment with the line A such tendency of the spring to rotate the tripping plate 19 is neutral ,and when the locking plate 19 is shifted further, so that the pin 29 (which pin 29'secures the spring at its upper end to the tripping plate 19) shifts to the right of line A, the spring 27 aids the clockwise movementof the tripping plate. r

The organization of the spring 27 is such that, whenst-ud 29 lies to the left of line A, it (the ring) tends resiliently to maintain the mem ber 12 in looking engagement with the toothed plunger rod '7, and, when the stud 29 lies to the right of line A (the'locking member 12 having, of course, been shifted free of the rod 7), the spring tends resiliently to maintain the mechanism in unlocked position, that is, in position free of the rod 7. Accordingly, I so organize the rod 18 with the float l7 and tripping plate 19 that the tripping plate will be shifted," either clockwise or counter-clockwise as the case may be, to move the stud 29 to one or to the other side oi its medial, neutral position, whereby the spring 27,'due to its tension, efiects the shifting of the 15 swings.

Stops, say nuts 30 and 31, are so adjusted on the rod 18, one on each side of the eye 19a, that, when the tank has been emptied of grease, the stop 30 will, by reason of the lowering of float 1'7, engage the eye 19a and effect a counter-clockwise rotation of the tripping plate 19. Thus the tripping plate is moved to such position that the stud 29 will lie on the left of line A, so that the spring 2'7 effects a right-to-left movement of the member 12 into locking engagement with the plunger rod '7 (cf. Fig. I).

It should be noted, furthermore, that the mechanism is such that the apparatus remains in locked position until the float 17 has risen to the position which it occupies when the container is full of grease. That is to say, the apparatus is maintained inoperative or locked until the container 1 has been recharged with grease. When such condition obtains, the float will have risen, causing the consequent rise of rod 18 to such position that the stop 31 engages the eye 19a and efiects a clockwise rotation of the tripping'plate 19a, whereby the stud 29 lies to the right ofline A, so that the spring 27 effects a left-to-right shifting of the locking member, into unlockedposition, where it will remain until the container 1 has again become emptied of its charge. 7

As above mentioned, the stops 30 and 31 are adjustable on the rod 18, to the end that the tripping of plate 19 may be effected at the de- 115 sired elevation of the float 17. At its lower end the rod 18 is conveniently secured in one of the orifices 32 in the arm 15, and manifestly the travel of the rod 18 (for a given travel of float 17) may be regulated by appropriately selecting one of the holes 32 in which to secure the lower end of rod 18, the holes 32 lying each at a different interval from the center 14 about which the arm I claim as my invention: 1'. In grease-dispensing apparatus, and in com bination with a crank connected to means for dispensing grease from said apparatus, a rack, a pinion in mesh with said rack, which pinion is rotatable upon actuation of said crank for reciproeating said rack, a locking member, a float, and means associated with saidfloat for effecting movement of said locking member into locking engagement with teeth of said rack when said container becomes practically emptied of grease, which last-mentioned means are adapted to remain in said locking engagement until said container is recharged with grease.

2. In grease-dispensing apparatus including a grease container and a cylinder with a plunger slidable therein for effecting discharge of grease from said container, the combination of a rack secured to said plunger, a pinion in mesh with said rack, means forturning said pinion to effect movement of said plunger and rack within the cylinder, a movable locking member, and means for moving said member into locking engagement with teeth of said rack when said container becomes practically emptied of grease, which means are adapted to remain in such locked position until said container has been recharged with grease." 1 I 3. In grease-dispensing apparatus including a grease container and a cylinder with a plunger slidable therein for effecting discharge of grease from said container, the combination of a rack secured to said plunger, a pinion in mesh with said rack, means for turning said pinion to effect movement of said plunger and rack within the cylinder, a movable locking member, a float, and

means associated with said float for effecting movement of said member into locking engagement with teeth of said rack when said container becomes practically emptied of grease.

4. In grease-dispensing apparatus including a grease container and a cylinder with a plunger slidable therein for effecting discharge of grease from said container, the combination of a rack secured to said plunger, a pinion in mesh with said rack, means for turning said pinion to effect movement of said plunger and. rack within the cylinder, a movable locking member, and means for moving said member into locking engagement with teeth of said rack when said container becomes practically emptied of grease, together with resilient means for maintaining said locking member in engagement with the teeth of said rack, until the container has been recharged with grease.

5. In grease-dispensing apparatus, and in combination withla crank connected to means for dispensing grease from said apparatus, a rack, a pinion in mesh with said rack, which pinion is rotatable upon actuation of said crank for reciprocating said rack, a locking member, a float, an arcuately movable arm carrying said float, a tripping member associated with said locking member, connections between said arcuately movable arm and said tripping member, whereby said looking member is moved into locking engagement with teeth of said rack when said container becomes practically emptied of grease.

6. The combination of the next preceding claim,

and means associated with said locking member adapted to retain it in locking engagement with said rack until said container is recharged with grease.

'7. In grease-dispensing apparatus including a grease container and a cylinder with a plunger slidable therein for effecting discharge of grease from said container, the combination of a rack secured to said plunger, a pinion in mesh with said rack, means for turning said pinion to effect movement of said plunger and rack within the cylinder, a movable locking member, a float, an arcuately movable arm carrying said float, a tripping member associated with said locking member, connections between said arcuately movable arm and said gripping member, whereby said locking member is moved into locking engagement with teeth of said rack when said container becomes practically emptied of grease.

8. In grease-dispensing apparatus including a grease container and a cylinder with a plunger slidable therein for effecting discharge of grease from said container, the combination of a rod secured to said plunger and extending parallel to the axis of the plunger, plunger rod operating means, said rod being provided with indentations cooperating with said plunger-operated means, whereby said rod is reciprocable to shift said plunger, a movable locking member, and means for moving said locking member into engagement with the indentations of said rod when the container becomes practically emptied of grease.

JAMES W. WELCH. 

